


Leaves

by reclusiveq



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Adorable, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bucky is an uncle, Cute, Fluff, Gen, Kids, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-17
Updated: 2014-10-17
Packaged: 2018-02-21 11:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2466938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reclusiveq/pseuds/reclusiveq
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky really likes the guy next door, but Steve's very shy. What's a guy to do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leaves

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [Hojas [traducción]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2768969) by [reclusiveq](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reclusiveq/pseuds/reclusiveq), [Sol_Fuentes_Córdova (Solitude)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solitude/pseuds/Sol_Fuentes_C%C3%B3rdova)



> For [SHJW October Challenge](http://shjwwriterscircle.tumblr.com/post/98871091887/shjw-writing-challenge-october): 'i got caught staring at my adult neighbour raking up a bunch of leaves in their backyard and jumping into them and now have to awkwardly pretend i saw nothing' au

“You’re early,” Bucky accused Rebecca, with a frown that was more playful than serious. He couldn’t hold the expression for long. Rebecca’s six year old daughter Sharon pushed between her parents and jumped into Bucky’s arms. 

Becca just laughed. “Good to see you too, Bucky.” She stepped in, her husband Robert shrugging helplessly. Bucky couldn’t blame him. They shook hands as Bucky shifted his niece in his arms, then he hugged Rebecca. 

“Uncle Bucky, I lost a toof.” The little girl opened her mouth wide to show her missing fang as Becca and Robert carried their food into the kitchen. He also noticed a scab on her lip.

“Ow, what happened?”

Sharon lowered her voice conspiratorially. “I got into a fight because Joey said Anna’s pigtails were stupid and pulled them. She was crying and I told him to say sorry. He said I had to make him, so I did. He lost three teeth.”

Bucky grinned. “Good girl,” he whispered back, with a wink.

“Don’t encourage her!” Becca shouted from the kitchen.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Bucky shouted back. “In fact, I’m going to have her help me rake the leaves as punishment.”

~~~  
Sharon ran through the yard with her not-quite-grownup-rake, missing half the leaves. When she had a small pile of about five leaves, she picked them up and carried them over to Bucky’s much larger pile. “Can I go back inside now, Uncle Bucky?”

“Back inside? You only brought me five leaves.”

“But I raked half the yard and I’m tired now.”

Bucky grinned. “Well, I suppose, but then you don’t get to jump in the big pile of leaves.”

Sharon’s eyes went wide. “No, I want to jump in them! Please can I?”

The brat had manners, Bucky thought affectionately. Still, he could play this out. “Nope, this pile is all mine. Go make your own pile.” He couldn’t hold back his grin as Sharon impishly tried to jump in the pile anyway. Laughing, he caught her mid jump, then spun and jumped into them himself.

Sharon squealed with laughter and squirmed away from Bucky, trying to cover him up with the rest of the leaves. Bucky was laughing too. He happened to glance over at his neighbors balcony… and locked eyes with the man.

It wasn’t the first time that Steve had watched Bucky. The man had always thought he was being subtle, but there was no way anyone read that much, especially not outdoors in a New York summer. As summer turned to fall, he had only become more obvious. Right now Steve didn’t even have sunglasses to hide where he was looking, and Bucky grinned cheekily at him as Steve blushed and hurried inside.

Still grinning, Bucky sat up, still eying the sliding glass door where Steve had disappeared through. Sharon looked at him, then up at the balcony. “Uncle Bucky, is that your friend?”

“No, but I’d like him to be. Unfortunately he’s very shy.” Bucky smiled at her, then stood up. “We should get you cleaned up before dinner.”

“You should invite him over. I bet he’d like me.”

Bucky knelt down and ruffled her hair. “I bet he would too. Here, he’s got a dog, want to say hi?”

“Yeah!” Bucky grinned and led her over to the fence. There was a loose board that Bucky pried away. A second later a furry, golden face poked her nose through. “This is Goldy. She’s the reason the fence is broken in the first place. But she’s very friendly.”

Sharon grinned and stuck her hand out, giggling as the dog sniffed it, then licked it.

“Okay, kiddo. You stay here and pet the dog while I bag up the leaves. Then we’ll get cleaned up for dinner.”

~~~  
 _Stupid, stupid stupid._ Steve couldn’t believe Bucky had caught him staring. He’d just been having so much fun…

Steve grabbed a water from the fridge and drank it, still kicking himself. Why didn’t he just wave? Or smile? Or something other than run away? The way Bucky had grinned at him, it was obvious the other man didn’t mind. Why the hell could he talk to anyone except someone that gorgeous?

He heard Goldy bark at the back door. Confused, Steve stepped away from the fridge. Why wasn’t she using the dog door? Then he saw the little girl standing on the back porch, with Goldy next to her, wagging her tail. 

Trying not to choke on his water, Steve eyed the little girl warily as he stepped over. He peeked at the fence between the two houses and spotted the hole as he opened the door. “Uh, can I help you?”

The girl grinned at him. _Family resemblance,_ Steve thought. That cheeky grin must have been genetic. “I’m lost,” she brazenly lied. Did she really expect him to believe that? “Can you take me home?”

“You’re… lost? You just happened to get lost… in my backyard?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Well, maybe not completely lost. But my Uncle Bucky wants you to come over for dinner and Goldy said she wants to come too. But Uncle Bucky didn’t want to bother you.”

The corner of Steve’s mouth twitched as he tried to keep from smiling. “But you’re okay with bothering me?”

“I’m only six years old. I bother everyone. And Goldy wants leftovers.”

Steve looked at her, wondering if she would go away if he ignored her. He thought of Bucky, then sighed. “All right. But only because Goldy wants to.”

~~~  
Steve had just grabbed his jacket and opened the door, only to be met by Bucky clearly coming to claim his niece. Steve swallowed. “Uh, hi.”

“Hi,” Bucky said. “I’m so sorry. Sharon, get your butt home now.”

Sharon shuffled out of the door, looked chagrined. Bucky shook his head as he watched her go, head hanging. “I’m so sorry,” he said again, looking back at Steve. “I took my eyes off of her a moment and she was climbing through the fence. I really should get that fixed.”

“Uh, it’s, uh, no problem. I was actually just getting ready to walk her back over.”

“Thanks so much. Would… would you like to join us for dinner? Nothing big or fancy…”

“Well, I mean…”

Bucky grinned. “Steve, it’s okay. I know you watch me. I’m not stupid. Come over, have dinner, see where it goes from there. Bring Goldy, if that’ll help. We love dogs.”

Steve stared at him. “Is everyone in your family this straightforward?”

“You have to be to survive it,” Bucky said with a laugh. “And I can be as stubborn as my niece.”

Steve blinked. “Did you…”

Bucky grinned roguishly. “I am a responsible adult. I would never dream of showing my niece a way through the fence to your yard after telling her how much I like you. Give me some credit.”

Steve chuckled. “Responsible adult, my ass. But all right. Dinner, it is.”


End file.
